March 19, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State baseball team will open its home season at Lubrano Park at Medlar Field this weekend as the Nittany Lions host New York Tech. The first pitch is set for 3:35 p.m. on Friday. Fans can follow the game on GoPSUsports.com or can listen to Loren Crispell, the voice of Penn State baseball, broadcast the first radio game of the year on WBLF 970 AM or on Penn State's official Web site.
The Nittany Lions return to University Park, Pa. with a record of .500 or better for the first time since the 2000 season, which was Penn State's most recent appearance in the NCAA Regionals. Head coach Robbie Wine's squad owns an 8-8 record after going 6-3 during its past road trip to Florida.
T.J. Macy, who sports the conference's second-best ERA (1.08), takes the mound for the Nittany Lions during Friday's game. Macy (2-1) has retired 30 batters in 25 innings pitched. Scott Kelley (2-2) will start Saturday's game versus the Bears, followed by Calvin Grumley, who notched an impressive victory against Rutgers to even the series.
Penn State's offense has exploded this year as four starters hold batting averages of .350 or higher. As of Thursday, Cory Wine leads the Big Ten with a .466 average and is among the conference leaders in RBIs (24). Blake Lynd has been a speedy threat in his first season and is third in the conference with a .447 average.
New York Tech, a Division I school in baseball, comes to Lubrano Park at Medlar Field standing at a 3-9 record. Brian Smith leads starters with a .360 batting average, while Christian Dienna has a team-high seven RBIs.
Andrew Guarassi is billed for Friday's start. Guarassi, who holds a 6.87 ERA, has whiffed 24 batters in 18 2/3 innings. Saturday's starter Preston Wasmund is 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA in 12 1/3 innings. Wasmund has a victory and a complete game in his only start this year.
Penn State holds a 4-2 advantage over New York Tech in a series that began in 1988. The Nittany Lions were victorious the last time these two teams squared off in the 1994 season opener in Norfolk, Va., which the Joe Hindelang's squad won 11-4.
Saturday's game is set for 1:05 p.m. while the final game will be played at 12:05 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be picked up at GoPSUsports.com or at the State College Spikes Ticket Office at Lubrano Park at Medlar Field before the game.
THREE-FOR-FIVE DEAL OFFERED FOR STUDENTS
Students can pick up three tickets for $5 for the Penn State-New York Tech series at the Penn State Baseball table at the HUB-Robeson Center on Friday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The three-for-five deal is also available for students at the State College Spikes Ticket Office before any of this weekend's games.